Port Plan Shifts Margins

Port Plan Shifts Margins

Article excerpt

Byline: Allen Winter

THE amended boundaries for the Port of Gladstone will be released this morning.

Changes have been made to the plan, a pilot for four Queensland ports, following submissions from the public, according to Minister for State Development and Minister for Natural Resources and Mines Dr Anthony Lynham.

The revised boundaries leave out the majority of Curtis Island, apart from the area taken up by the three LNG facilities.

When the master plan was first opened to consultation in June this year there were fears from some groups that the environmentally protected southern tip of Curtis Island would be brought into the Gladstone State Development Scheme, and lead to development of the area.

However, those concerns appear to have been allayed by the new master plan, with the southern tip of the island remaining in the environmental management precinct.

"This is the first stage completed now in a process to create a master plan that will drive economic development in and around Gladstone's port and protect the Great Barrier Reef," Dr Lynham said.

"The next stage is an extensive study into the economic, environmental, cultural heritage and community aspects of the proposed area.

"The study will be developed in consultation with industry, government, environmental and community sectors."

The proposed Gladstone master-planned area encompasses a total area of about 88,000 hectares and includes land controlled by the Port of Gladstone, the majority of the Gladstone State Development Area, part of the Gladstone Regional Council area and marine components within the port limits.

The master-planned area will not include the Port of Rockhampton (Port Alma), the Fitzroy Delta, Keppel Bay or North Curtis Island.

Master planning at Queensland's major, long-established bulk commodity priority ports of Gladstone, Abbot Point near Bowen, Hay Point / Mackay, and Townsville is part of the Queensland Government commitment to the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan. …